Fighting For My Wife With Myself After Being Reborn - Chapter 22

There were quite a few WeChat messages, mostly congratulations from colleagues in the entertainment industry who were on decent terms with Shen Huaixu.

Jiang Rui’s messages had been buried near the bottom; Shen Huaixu had to scroll for a while before finding her in the list.

Shen Huaixu tapped on the chat box and quickly scanned Jiang Rui’s messages.

Jiang Rui: [According to your request, the PR department has minimized the impact of the relationship exposure on Gu Yinghuai.]

Jiang Rui: [Regarding the resource-snatching incident, Li Xinxin came out to help debunk the rumors. That opponent was truly stupid enough; they actually dared to try and frame you when someone else held leverage over them.]

Jiang Rui: [Fortunately, you aren’t as stupid as her, otherwise I’d have to go jump in a river (smile).]

Shen Huaixu: …Truly, thank you so much.

“Jiang Rui said things are mostly settled, so we don’t need to worry.” To put Gu Yinghuai further at ease, Shen Huaixu handed her phone directly to her to let her see the chat history.

Gu Yinghuai leaned in to read Jiang Rui’s messages while Shen Huaixu held the phone out.

“Your company’s PR is actually quite good.”

“Well, if they didn’t do a good job, there are plenty of others waiting for the position.”

“Wow, what a cold-blooded, wicked woman.”

“I am very ‘hot’ for you though, Huai.”

“Should we go out later to buy some souvenirs? I remember you have two friends you’re quite close with.” Shen Huaixu recalled the two friends Gu Yinghuai occasionally mentioned.

“It’s not just for me; you need to buy some too, Xu. Jiang Rui has worked very hard by your side all these years; buy some gifts to show your appreciation.”

“As you command, my lady wife.”

Sitting in her chair, Shen Huaixu gave a clumsy, mock salute and ended it with a wink at Gu Yinghuai.

Gu Yinghuai finished her last bite of food and smiled, biting the tip of her fork.

Because they were going out, Shen Huaixu put her baseball cap and mask back on. Fully geared up and standing next to Gu Yinghuai, she looked less like a girlfriend and more like a bodyguard Gu Yinghuai had hired.

Gu Yinghuai helped tidy her hair and said, “Next time we come out to play, I am definitely not letting you decide which clothes to bring. Who brings nothing but T-shirts on a trip!”

When you go out to have fun, you should dress up beautifully and leave behind pretty photos in every corner! Xu is really exasperating!

Gu Yinghuai puffed out her cheeks, feeling more annoyed the more she looked at the T-shirt on Shen Huaixu.

I’m throwing all of Xu’s T-shirts away once we get back.

Shen Huaixu looked down at her black T-shirt, then looked at her Huai’s ethereal long dress and exquisite sun hat, and fell silent.

Alright, she certainly didn’t look like a tourist; she looked more like a local who lived here and had just grabbed a random shirt to step out.

If it weren’t for Shen Huaixu’s height and temperament making up for it, Gu Yinghuai probably would have been even more disdainful.

“At least my face is still passable, right?” Shen Huaixu asked cautiously.

Gu Yinghuai raised her eyes to glance at the mask on Shen Huaixu’s face; the meaning was self-evident.

“Alright, alright, I was wrong. It won’t happen again next time.” Shen Huaixu felt a bit sheepish and raised both hands in surrender.

This sensible attitude won Gu Yinghuai’s forgiveness. Gu Yinghuai put on her small bag and directed Shen Huaixu to drive.

Speaking of souvenirs, the first thing the two thought of was ham.

Shen Huaixu contacted a local friend who sent her a location and recommended they buy it there.

“But you can’t drive in,” the friend had said. “It’s best to find a parking spot outside and walk in.”

Shen Huaixu followed the navigation, driving along a narrow concrete road. After several twists and turns, she finally parked the car by the roadside. They got out and walked into a small alleyway only wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

Gu Yinghuai was very interested in the alleyway and pulled Shen Huaixu along to take many photos.

“This place is so photogenic. When I get home, I’m going to post several ‘nine-grid’ sets on my Moments.” Gu Yinghuai was exceptionally satisfied with the results of the photos in her camera.

Shen Huaixu teased her, “Aren’t you afraid of being blocked by everyone? Others are working while you’re traveling. Tsk tsk, too decadent, Huai. I condemn you on their behalf.”

“Oh, stop it. It’s not like you aren’t doing the same. What’s the name of the shop your friend recommended? How much longer do we have to walk?” Gu Yinghuai was wearing sandals today; after walking on the uneven ground for a while, her ankles were feeling a bit sore.

She rotated her ankles twice to relieve the ache.

Shen Huaixu looked down at the navigation; their position was very close to the destination.

“Almost there. Just another five hundred meters. Do your feet hurt? Do you want me to carry you?” Shen Huaixu knelt to check Gu Yinghuai’s ankles. Her cold fingertips rubbed Gu Yinghuai’s slightly swollen ankles to help soothe the pain.

Gu Yinghuai shook her head. “No, they’re just a bit sore. I’ve just been walking a lot lately. I feel like once I go back, I won’t want to go out shopping for a while.”

Shen Huaixu looked up and asked, “Are you sure?”

“Really, really. I can walk by myself. Besides, how am I supposed to let you carry me in this dress?” Gu Yinghuai lifted her ethereal skirt and urged Shen Huaixu to get up quickly.

“When we get back tonight, soak your feet. I’ll give you a massage. It wouldn’t be good if you sprained your ankle.” Shen Huaixu stood up and offered her arm for Gu Yinghuai to lean on, trying to reduce the pressure on her ankles as much as possible.

“Okay, okay! I want to add rose petals too, to wash them until they smell sweet~” Gu Yinghuai leaned on Shen Huaixu’s arm, thinking about what color roses to use for her foot bath as they walked the last five hundred meters.

The ham shop recommended by Shen Huaixu’s friend was located deep in the alley. The storefront wasn’t large; it looked like it had been converted from a home garage. When they arrived, the owner was sitting at the entrance with her legs crossed, chatting with a neighbor.

“Hello, we’re here to buy ham,” Shen Huaixu said.

The owner appeared to be in her forties or fifties. Her long hair was combed neatly and coiled behind her head with a silver hairpin.

Hearing Shen Huaixu, she turned and said something in the local dialect to her neighbor, patted the dust off her pants, stood up, and led them into the garage.

“Pick whichever one you want. Once you’ve chosen, I’ll pack it up,” the owner said, standing to the side and pointing to the hams hanging on the walls and shelves.

Shen Huaixu liked her attitude—not overly sycophantic like staff in some shops, yet not making them feel ignored. Instead, it gave off a very comfortable sense of distance.

She led Gu Yinghuai around for a loop. Their understanding of ham was limited to the finished dishes served in restaurants; being asked to choose one now was a bit difficult for them.

Shen Huaixu decided to ask the owner for a suggestion.

“Boss, if it’s for a gift, which kind would be better to pick?” She went back and asked the owner, who was leaning against the doorframe.

The owner probably recognized their status as tourists. She muttered a few words to herself, walked to a corner, and pulled out a whole, untouched ham. “This one. The price isn’t too expensive, and the quality is good. It’s fine for gifting to friends or family.”

Shen Huaixu looked it over but realized she couldn’t judge the quality of the ham by its appearance alone.

She looked up at the owner. “Boss, can we cut it open to see?”

The owner glanced at Shen Huaixu, silently pulled a small knife from her pocket, and sliced two paper-thin pieces for her.

The skin was thin and the meat was thick, with a moderate fat-to-lean ratio. The lean parts were a vibrant red, while the fat was a milky white; the entire cross-section was beautiful.

As Shen Huaixu tasted the slice, her silver-gray eyes instantly lit up. With a wave of her hand, she asked for the entire ham. “I’ll take this whole one. Boss, please cut it into pieces and pack it for me.”

The owner asked, “Aren’t you going to ask about the price? Aren’t you afraid I’ll overcharge you?”

Shen Huaixu smiled. “I believe my friend wouldn’t recommend a dishonest shop to me. Besides, you don’t look like that kind of person, Boss.”

The owner scoffed. “Hmph, young people. Just wait, I’ll go cut the ham for you.”

“Thank you, Boss.” Shen Huaixu saw the owner off to the workbench to cut the ham. She turned back to find Gu Yinghuai, who had a lingering expression of enjoyment as she licked her fingertip.

Shen Huaixu laughed. “How is it? Good, right? If we could finish it, I’d really want to get another one.”

Gu Yinghuai quickly stopped her. “Don’t. That would be too much.”

Even the owner chimed in while slicing, “This one piece is enough for you to eat and give away. If you finish it and want more, you can call me. I can ship it to you by express.”

“Then thank you in advance, Boss,” Gu Yinghuai smiled.

The owner didn’t say anything, but her hands were nimble as she packed the sliced ham. One ham was divided into fifty or sixty small packages, piling up into a small mountain on the table.

“This is so much,” Gu Yinghuai said, dumbfounded.

Shen Huaixu scratched her cheek. It felt great to talk big, but moving all this was going to be a major project.

The owner was amused by their expressions. She said in a good mood, “See if you want to take it with you directly, or leave an address and I’ll mail it for you.”

“Let’s mail it,” Shen Huaixu decided, choosing not to make things hard for herself.

After paying, she left her address and number at the counter and asked the owner to send it via special express, with herself covering the shipping costs.

The owner naturally had no objection. She bent down to pull out a new cardboard box from under the counter and prepared to pack the ham.

“Wait, wait, wait! Let me take a photo first!” Gu Yinghuai quickly stopped the owner. She pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture of the mountain of ham. “Okay, thank you for your hard work, Boss.”

“It’s just a small thing,” the owner said while packing.

Shen Huaixu thought that since they still had more souvenirs to buy, it would be better to ask the owner—a local—rather than searching online. At least the reputation would be guaranteed.

“Boss, is there a place nearby that sells Flower Cakes? Can you recommend one?”

“Flower Cakes? Wait a moment, I’ll write down the address for you.”

Five minutes later, Shen Huaixu received a hand-written address.

“I feel like I haven’t received a hand-written address in a long time,” she remarked.

Gu Yinghuai nodded. “It strangely feels like going back in time. Xu, how do you think we used to find destinations with just a hand-written address back then?”

“By asking people for directions, I guess. It’s very unfriendly for introverts.” Shen Huaixu entered the address from the note into her navigation. The GPS showed the shop was at another exit of the alley. “It’s a good thing technology has advanced, otherwise, with just this piece of paper, the two of us would have been wandering for a long time before finding the shop.”

Gu Yinghuai looked at the phone screen held out to her. The navigation path was full of twists and turns; if they had really tried to walk it themselves, they might truly never have made it out.

“Thank the scientists.”

“Indeed.”

The two of them nodded solemnly.

The owner of the Flower Cake shop was a warm auntie. Knowing that Shen Huaixu and the others were taking them home as gifts, she even gave them an extra box of ham-filled cakes for free before they left, welcoming them to come back to Dali anytime.

Gu Yinghuai and Shen Huaixu walked side by side on the road. Looking at the bustling streets filled with the atmosphere of daily life, Gu Yinghuai turned to Shen Huaixu with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling. “Coming out to travel once in a while feels pretty good, doesn’t it?”

Shen Huaixu regretted wearing a mask. Right now, she desperately wanted to kiss the glowing Gu Yinghuai in front of her.

“I want to kiss you,” she said. Holding the bags of Flower Cakes in her hands, she pulled down her mask and kissed Gu Yinghuai’s lips amidst the glow of the setting sun.